Now that Top Chef Canada fever has officially sprung, all eyes are on three Calgary chefs: Pierre Lamielle, Gabriela Neda and Karine Moulin.

As the executive pastry chef at Hotel Arts, Moulin definitely knows a thing or two about the importance of putting best food forward. Here, we reminisce about a dated dessert plating techniques, inspiring a younger generation of chefs and, of course, reality TV.

You finished your pastry arts program in 2001. How has Calgary’s food scene changed since then? It’s evolved so much. It’s gone from a city that was known for beef and potatoes to (now) having places like a phenomenal seafood restaurant or amazing ethnic restaurants. It’s diverse and still changing.

When you graduated, what was the restaurant in your eyes? La Chaumière was the benchmark back then.

And now it’s not exactly a go-to. What do you think of that? I dined there when I was in school, when I could barely afford it, and was fairly blown away. I have been back several times since and I feel like my perspective (on food) has changed. So, it’s still great food, but certainly not as good as I remember it was. It’s changed and I’ve changed, so my expectations are just different now.

What’s a plating technique that you were in love with in the early 2000s that wouldn’t look so cool these days? I remember thinking the coolest thing was when you had a bowl or a plate of sauce anglaise and you would do some berry couli spots on top, then drag a skewer through so you’d have hearts or stars - laughs. I do not do that anymore, but 13 years ago, I certainly thought that was the cat’s ass!

You and Duncan Ly seem to have a great rapport in the Yellow Door Bistro and Raw Bar kitchens. What is he really like to work with? It’s fantastic. We work really well together. We have very different styles. He’s very even-tempered. He rarely ever gets upset in the kitchen.

You smile a lot. I couldn’t imagine you get mad very often. Not often—less than Duncan does. I just get really quiet and, honestly, I’m usually just mad at myself for doing something I wasn’t happy with.

You have six staff working under you in the pastry department. What is the most important thing a chef can learn working under you? The most important thing would be that they stay self-motivated and grounded. You’ve got to be driven. I will hopefully bring the best traits out of my team, but they also need to be able to motivate themselves.

When you get a new chef or apprentice on staff, are you able to tell right away if they’re going to work out or not? Yes, I can definitely do that now. I can usually tell by how fast they walk. You know, people who drag their feet in general—if I’m cleaning and they don’t start to clean, things like that. I’ve got a good radar now for that.

Why did you apply for Top Chef Canada—fame or fortune? I wanted to challenge myself and put my skills to the test. It was my first time applying. If anything, I just wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone, which I did. I want to keep getting better and keep pushing forward.

When you found out you were going to be on Top Chef Canada this year, you thought... Holy s—t (laughs). Every step of the process, I had prepared myself for the fact that if I wasn’t chosen, at least I made it this far, or that far. When they finally called me and offered me the chance to be on the show, it was my last chance to decide for myself, “OK, do I want to go or do I not?” When I said yes, it was just like, holy s--t (again). I have to get my personal life sorted, I have to get my dogs looked after, work sorted, all of this stuff done before I leave for Toronto.

What’s it like having a camera in your face pretty much 24/7? Surprisingly, you get used to it really quickly. Wearing our microphones took a lot more getting used to, actually.

What do you say to people who watch the show at home and think they could do better than a chef in the Top Chef Canada kitchen? Oh my God, that was me before this. That was totally me. Even during taping, I had moments of wondering if people were going to watch me on television and question why I was doing something. Even the simplest tasks on the show are exponentially harder because of weather or time or your teammates. Some of (what appear to be) the simplest challenges were f------g challenging.

Chef Moulin offers this simple recipe for ricotta gnocchi in a rich tomato sauce that can make a perfect meal any day of the week.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

Gnocchi

1 (8 oz) container ricotta cheese

2 eggs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 lemon zested

1 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed

Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

5 roma tomatoes, diced

1 dash crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

6 basil leaves, finely shredded

salt and pepper to taste

8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small chunks.

1. Stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a large bowl until evenly combined. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough.

2. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces, and roll into 1/2-inch-thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in diced tomatoes and red pepper flakes; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in shredded basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, and then drain.

5. To assemble the dish, stir the cubed mozzarella cheese into the sauce and allow the heat of the sauce to soften, but not melt the cheese. Place gnocchi into a serving bowl, and spoon sauce over top.

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